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The Diomedian Chronicles: Last Man Standing
< The Diomedian Chronicles The Diomedian Chronicles: Last Man Standing is a Novel/Transcript following the events of John Marachuk. This event takes place at the same time as The Diomedian Chronicles: Phantoms. After dropping off Archaon and Greer at the NCSV Arine, John travels back to the Aegina only to find it abandoned, all systems dead, in a star system he no longer recognizes. Prologue John Marachuk just dropped off Scott and Archaon at the NCSV Arine and is now flying back to the Relay. On the comms, he’s speaking to Archaon. Archaon: radio So, when can we expect you back? Marachuk: In about 24 hours. Do know that this counts to your shore-leave. Grins Archaon: radio, annoyed Oh, great... Thanks… Marachuk: Remember to ask for an M-13 Raptor. Gwen’s been riding my ass for one. Archaon: radio I’ll see what I can do. Hey, how are you liking those new software upgrades? Marachuk: I don’t even know what you did. Archaon: radio Updated the operation software. Should run smoother now without taking so much resources. In turn these resources can be used somewhere else, like shields or cloak. Marachuk: Haven’t really gotten the opportunity to try them out. So I don’t know. Archaon: radio Be sure to get Iggins to test drive it once you get back. Marachuk: I’ll ask him nicely. Alright, see you when I see you. Archaon: radio See you later, John. shuttle flies near the Relay, its rings moving faster as he gets nearer. A bolt of lightning hits the shuttle and it “kawhooshes” forward. Near the relay, John’s shuttle comes into view as it streaks across the horizon. As the shuttle passes our view, we follow it only to see a giant red ball of fire. John squints his eyes at the view. He activates his radio earpiece. Marachuk: Somebody turn up the heat? looks around and finally spots the Aegina, he moves his shuttle toward it. He tries his radio earpiece again. Marachuk: Hello? replies. Frowning, John moves towards the Cargo bay and inputs a command to open the doors. He flies his shuttle in and parks in what seems to be an empty hold. walks out of his shuttle. There are no lights on and the area is lit only by a reddish daylight coming through the windows. There's no sign of anyone in the cargo bay. John notices something else different about the place. Marachuk: If this is a surprise party, it's not my birthday. his lip anxiously, he walks slowly up the stairs and into the dark Control Room. Frowning, he turns around and activates his headset radio. Marachuk: This is Marachuk. Anyone read? no reply. Marachuk: I repeat: this is Marachuk. Anyone on this channel? nobody answers. Dread fills his face as he looks through the windshield, squinting, at the giant fiery orb outside. Chapter One walks to the end of the control room and into the cockpit. He waves his hand over the panels of the various consoles as he talks to himself, but nothing activates. Marachuk: All right. This isn't good. This is either the most elaborate practical joke of all time, or I'm in serious trouble here. then sound begins to come over his radio. It's mixed with a lot of static and is unintelligible. John taps his headset. Marachuk: This is Marachuk. Anyone on this frequency? another burst of static, then Archaon's voice comes over the radio. Archaon: radio John? Is that really you? Marachuk: in relief Oh man, am I glad to hear you. Archaon: radio I can't believe it! It actually worked! Marachuk: What are you talking about? What the hell's going on here? Archaon: radio I imagine you're a little confused right now. God! For you, like, what, five minutes has passed? Marachuk: impatiently Archaon! Archaon: radio Look, I need you to describe exactly what you're seeing. Where are you? Marachuk: I'm in the Control Room. It's deserted. Archaon: radio Is there any power? Marachuk: No. Everything's dead – and, oh yeah, did I tell you the Sun's changed? Archaon: radio Sorry, what? Marachuk: The big blue thing out the window when I left. It's now red and like a thousand times its size. It's – it's - it's about a hundred and twenty degrees in here. Archaon: radio Oh, jeez, the sun must have undergone some serious changes. Marachuk: impatient If you don't start giving me some answers pretty soon here ... Archaon: radio OK, look, I understand this is hard for you. Just do me a favor and go to the Comm Room. Marachuk: Why? Archaon: radio Just do it. Please. turns and trots down the stairs. Using the light of his omni-tool to light his way, he jogs along the dark corridors. Eventually, breathing heavily, he reaches the conference Room and goes inside. Marachuk: All right. I'm here. Archaon: radio Well, activate the hologram projector. Marachuk: There's no power. Archaon: radio It's connected to an independent power source. Don't worry – it will work. steps over to the console and waves his hand over it to activate. Lights flicker on and Immediately Archaon appears behind him. Archaon: Hey there. turns, startled. He is even more startled when he sees the new Archaon for the first time – for this is not the Archaon Thrax that he has known for the past year. Wearing green trousers and a blue top, Archaon has his hands stuffed inside a tatty old grey cardigan ... and he looks like he is in his mid-seventies. His face is wrinkled and his hair and eyebrows are grey. He smiles at John as he stares back at him in amazement. Marachuk: Archaon!? Archaon: smiling God, it's good to see you again. Marachuk: You're a hologram!? Archaon: and sarcastic No! Really? You don’t say. takes his hands out of his pockets and looks at them, then laughs. Archaon: Of course I am! I also tapped into the ship’s internal sensors, so I've got eyes and ears – Well, so to speak. You look good. Marachuk: You look, uh ... reaches out to touch Archaon's chest. His fingers sink straight into it and a glow surrounds them. Marachuk: ... different. Archaon: That's ‘cause you remember me the way I was. Marachuk: What, you mean earlier today? Archaon: Ah, it's funny, you know? I spent the last forty five years of my life trying to figure out how to make this work, and I never once thought what I was gonna say to you when you got here. Marachuk: You can start by telling me what the hell's going on here! Archaon: Ah. Right, right. OK. Um, remember Einstein? Theory of relativity? The faster you go, the slower the time around you goes? He theorized that the speed of light was the ultimate speed you could attain cause at that speed your surrounding environment would be deemed motionless and frozen in time. Marachuk: Uh, well, vaguely. Archaon: Well, he theorized that if you went beyond the speed of light, you would be turning backwards into time. Off course, with the discovery of Mass Effect fields and FTL drives his theories were deemed obsolete. However, since we still not fully understand mass relay travel we could not foresee what happened to you. It was only after your departure that we figured out that mass relays actually create wormholes to teleport you from relay to relay. Now, Mass Relays have a safety protocol which, simply put, “bends” the wormhole so it passes astral objects instead of colliding with it. Because of the software upgrade that specific protocol was overridden. For you see, when the mass relay pushed you into its wormhole it accidentally intersected with a solar flare. Marachuk: So what are you saying? I was… I was sent back in time? Archaon: Uh, no. In fact, you were sent forward into the future. Marachuk: How far into the future? Archaon: Huh, an interesting question – and one that was not easy to figure out. I had to determine the exact characteristics of the solar flare in question...-- Marachuk: irritated Archaon! Archaon: swallows six million years, give or take. stares. Marachuk: in disbelief Six million!? shrugs at him sympathetically. Marachuk: his head Oh, you have got to be kidding me. Archaon: smile No, afraid not. Freak accident. Sorry. Marachuk: You're telling me I just travelled six million years into the future in ten seconds? Archaon: Yeah and y’know – it is kind of cool when you think about it, isn't it? Marachuk: Surfing a thirty foot wave in Waimei is cool. Dating an Asari supermodel is cool. Angrily This is not cool! Archaon: All right, calm down. opens his mouth, about to say something, but then pauses as he realizes something else. Marachuk: If I'm in the future, that means you're, uh ... Archaon: ... Dead... Dead and buried and turned to dust a long, long time ago, along with everyone you once knew and loved. The extranet doesn't exist anymore, so there's no way of knowing what the state of human civilization is; whether it even still exists. I mean, it is entirely possible that you are the last human being alive… The last man standing. Marachuk: You're not doing a very good job of cheering me up here. Archaon: mildly Oh, consider yourself lucky, young man. While I was figuring out this plan, I had no way of knowing whether the ship would even survive this long. Marachuk: What – what plan? Archaon: I took advantage of some progress in VI technology to create this simulation. chuckles. I'm able to move anywhere inside the ship. I'm fully interactive, and I'm designed to mimic the exact response and appearance of the great Doctor Archaon Thrax. grimaces. Marachuk: Couldn't use anyone else, huh? chuckles again. Archaon: Funny. I'm linked to the Ship’s main systems, but I have an independent core drive which is sealed in the foundation of one of the outer sections – along with a Mark Twelve mass effect generator and a couple of other key components. It's kind of like a, um, well, how can I say this? – like a time capsule, so to speak. Marachuk: It's really nice to have company, but if what you're saying is true, what good does it do me? Archaon: Oh, trust me, I wouldn't go to all this trouble just so we could have a little chit-chat. No, no – I'm here to bring you back. turns and starts to leave the room. Archaon: beckons Come on. John follows him. Chapter Two they walk through the corridors, the lights come on automatically in front of them. As they continue during the following conversation, the lights go off again behind them. Marachuk: Where are we going? Archaon: Stasis chamber. Marachuk: Why? Archaon: Ironically, to buy you some time. Marachuk: Well, that really explains everything''!'' Archaon: Theoretically, we can send you back exactly the way you got here, using the mass relay, your shuttle and a solar flare. The only problem is, we're waiting for something very specific – a prominence with exactly the right shape, size, characteristics and relative position in space so that it will interact with the wormhole in exactly the right manner and send you back exactly the right amount of time. Marachuk: And that doesn't happen every day. Archaon: Exactly. Marachuk: How long are we talking about? Archaon: Oh, seven, eight hundred years. A thousand, tops. Marachuk: stopping Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. That's your plan? I'm six million years into the future and you wanna put me on ice for another thousand? Archaon: see the issue Tops. looks shocked. Archaon: Look, we need to be precise here. If I don't get you back within five days of the moment you left, then ... it'll be too late. Marachuk: Too late? What the hell's that supposed to mean? sighs, his face full of memories. Archaon: Things didn't exactly go well for us after your disappearance. After five days of waiting at the mass relay I figured out what happened to you, I realized there was nothing we could do. The Alliance pronounced you K.I.A. – we gave you a very nice military funeral on the Aegina. Obviously the casket was empty ... grimaces in distaste. Archaon: ... but, you know, it's the thought that counts. From there ... well, from there things went from bad to worse. Flashback :personnel of the Aegina is watching through the windshield at the empty casket flying towards the mass relay John never came from. Archaon: voiceover Once you were gone. Lt.cmdr Amir, took over. :for Earth. Amir and strike force Prometheus are battling incoming Reapers. Archaon: voiceover We were forced to continue the assault on Earth without you. We didn’t have enough resources to cover enough ground and we lost a lot of people, Valevoss was the first to die. :the ruins of London while a battle ensues in the background, Team Prometheus is holding up the attacking reapers when suddenly Brock Valevoss gets snagged by a brute. Grabbing him at the stomach with its pincers. Archaon: voiceover He died by the hands of a brute. :brute holds Valevoss in the air and, with its sharp pincers, it bisects Valevoss in the lower back area. The lower half of his body falls to the ground as his upper body is still in the brute’s pincers. Archaon: voiceover Afterwards we retreated from the battlefield, into the underground ruins of London, where the reapers killed another one of us. Amir died by little swarmer-type reapers. :the underground ruins, Amir is being eaten by swarmers. Archaon: voiceover After Amir’s death, Lorelei had to take command cause she was highest in rank. But her bad decisions led to more of us dyeing. :the ruins of London, team Prometheus, along with other military platoons, is battling the horde of monsters from a catwalk along a makeshift wall. However their position is soon compromised by a teleporting Banshee. It teleports onto the catwalk, forcing team Prometheus to jump off onto the ground below. However, Vin Iggins gets snatched by the Banshee just as he was jumping off. He’s face full of dread. The Banshee proceeds to fling Iggins over the wall, where more Reapers were waiting. Archaon: Voiceover Iggins died. :team is walking through the ruins of London, along with other military personnel and a few Mako’s driving by when Tanaka suddenly hears a growl. The team looks behind them and a reaperized Varen is standing on top of a broken rusty car. Before the team could react, it pounces on Tanaka. Gunfire ensues, at the end it falls on top of Tanaka. Gwendolyn spurts towards her and pushes the beast of her body, revealing multiple bite wounds on Tanaka’s neck. Archaon: Voiceover After Tanaka died, Lorelei couldn’t handle it anymore. :is crying over Tanaka’s body as Greer moves over to comfort her with a sad look on his face. Lorelei falls to her knees crying as well. Archaon is the only one left standing up, his head focused on the ground. The image of Archaon's face, full of loss, merges into the future Archaon's face, identically anguished. The Present Archaon: At around that time we... We suddenly saw something. A red blaze of fire suddenly swooped over the streets of London… and then it was over. sadly We won… Chapter Three and Hologram Archaon are walking through the ship again. Archaon: It's not your fault. Marachuk: disappointed I should have been there. sighs. Archaon: And you will be – and knowing the mistakes we made, you can go back and change the fate of our lives. Marachuk: What do you mean? Archaon: Well, it was a turning point. Maybe if we all survived none of this future’s past will have made history. and Hologram Archaon are still making their way through the ship. Marachuk: You think by saving everyone, none of your past will have happened? Archaon: I know it. All I have to do is get you safely to a stasis chamber. I will reprogram the sensors ... trails off as the lights come on ahead of them down the corridor. In front of them is a broken off part of the ship, the atmosphere is being held inside by the shield surrounding the broken area, but there is no way he can cross it. There is no path, just broken debris from this point to the other. Obviously the Ship’s been in combat. Archaon: Oh. That could be a problem. Marachuk: No, no, that's not a problem. We’ll just find another way around. hologram flickers a few times. Marachuk: Archaon? Archaon: There is no other way around... Chapter Four and Archaon walk carefully towards the shield. Archaon: According to the logs, the ship’s seen combat and the offenders penetrated the lower levels… Marachuk: six million years into the future, you've still got a knack for stating the obvious. All right, what do we do? Archaon: I don't know. Marachuk: What do you mean, you don't know? Archaon: Well, I wasn't programmed for this variable! Marachuk: You said you had forty five years to work on this plan! Archaon: Well, Archaon did – and he brilliantly anticipated a lot of potential problems. It's just that, well, this wasn't one of them. Marachuk: All right. We go up two levels, turn right, there are spacesuits there, right? Archaon: You can't do that. Marachuk: Why not? Archaon: A spacesuit isn’t designed for these types of condition. If it was armor, maybe, but with spacesuits… You might as well be wearing a raincoat. Not only is it extremely hot out there, but for the last half hour the barometric pressure has been dropping and solar wind speeds have increased significantly. Marachuk: A storm's coming? Archaon: A sun''storm. Ever seen one of those? '''Marachuk': with a smile Of course, they showed it all the time in Batman! Archaon: Oh. Oh, then, then you know what that means. Marachuk: It's not like we have a lot of options here. turns and trots off back the way they came. Archaon sighs and follows him. Chapter Five return to the corridor, Marachuk is wearing a spacesuit this time. A ferocious wind can be heard howling outside. John stops at the shields and listens to the wind. Marachuk: Sounds pretty nasty out there. Archaon: The winds are gusting over fifty miles an hour and increasing. Look, the visibility's basically zero. You can't go out there! You're just gonna have to wait it out. Marachuk: For how long? Archaon: Well I don't know. Couple of years? looks at him wide eyed. Archaon: Just give it a few hours, maybe it’ll die down a little. sighs, then walks wearily over to the wall and sits down on the floor. Archaon: Are you hungry? Do you have any food? shakes his head. Archaon: Oh. Well, I suppose it doesn't really matter anyways. We'll just wait for the storm to blow over and have you out of here in no time at all. smiles, then looks awkward. Archaon: Well, you'll actually be here for seven hundred years, but you know what I mean. grimaces, then looks up at Archaon. Marachuk: What about everyone else? I mean, you told me about those who died, but what about the rest of ‘em? Archaon: After the Reaper Invasion. We were all promoted, except for Lorelei given her subpar leadership abilities, the Alliance saw fit to employ a new leader to Prometheus. smiles fondly. Flashback :is walking with Archaon through the corridors of the Aegina. Archaon: voiceover Gwendolyn. The Aegina suffered heavy damage during the invasion, half the systems were broken; the other half didn’t work anymore. :and Archaon walk into a room. The place is a mess: wires are hanging from the ceiling and equipment is lying around everywhere. Despite that, Gwen smiles proudly. Archaon doesn't look so happy at the amount of work that he's going to have to do. :passes. Gwen is soldering a wall panel. Archaon: voiceover We spent the better part of a month getting her ready for combat. :looks across the room to where Archaon, looking weary, is working on putting a console together. Archaon: voiceover We worked day and night, side by side. Greer might have been there as well. I don't really remember. :Greer walks across and puts a cup of coffee onto the console for Archaon, then walks away. Archaon: voiceover I do remember never feeling so drained in my entire life. :time later, Archaon inserts the last circuit into a tray and it slides into its console. Gwen looks at a computer tablet she's holding as it beeps, then smiles in satisfaction at Archaon. He sighs in relief and slumps on the console, exhausted. Archaon: voiceover Eventually, though, we managed to get her in working order. :is standing on the Bridge of her ship looking through the windshield as Archaon walks in. :Archaon: All right. Everything checks out. Weapons, shields, long-range sensors all in the green. She's good to go. :Gwendolyn: to Archaon Great work, Archaon. Now, I want you and your team to head back to the Citadel and take a couple of days off. When you're good and rested, get to work on the ship’s shields. Do anything you can to maximize efficiency. We’re gonna need them. :Archaon: Well, what about you? :Gwendolyn: I'm gonna take her out for a spin. fondly out the windshield. :Archaon: You need to take some time. You're as exhausted as we are. :Gwendolyn: I can’t, I need to familiarize myself with the ship and according to Intel, we’ll be shipping out soon. :Archaon: You got time to rest, don’t you? :looks at him. Eventually he sighs. :Archaon: All right. :turns to leave. :Gwendolyn: Hey. :Archaon: back to her Hmm? :walks over to him and hugs him. :Gwendolyn: Thank you. For everything. :releases him, he smiles at her. :Archaon: Right. :turns and leaves the Bridge, half-glancing back at her as he goes. Gwen turns and gazes out of the windshield once more. Archaon: voiceover A new threat has arisen. With the assassination of Urdnot Wrex, another krogan warlord came to power and started another war. We started a series of hit and run ops – real guerrilla style. :space, two ships fly side by side. The Aegina soars in and fires three beams at one of the ships and it explodes. She heads for the second ship and fires at it. On the Bridge, an Alliance Infiltration Unit acting as the ship's weapon officer, Chandra, reports. :Chandra: One of the ships has been neutralized. :Gwendolyn: What about the other one? :Chandra: Minimal damage. They're powering weapons. :Gwendolyn: Damnit. :Chandra: Should we swing around for another pass? :Gwendolyn: Forget it. Get us out of here. :the ship fires at the Aegina, she races away and jumps into hyperspace. Archaon: voiceover For a while, it really worked. They were able to inflict considerable damage, despite terrible odds. But eventually our luck ran out. :Aegina leaps out of hyperspace just above the surface of a planet. Archaon: voiceover The new Krogan warlord deliberately leaked some Intel that he was about to attack a heavily populated Salarian colony. Gwen thought she could get there first, but she was wrong. :the Aegina soars over the planet, a ship above her opens fire. As it bombards the ship, sparks fly from the console on the bridge. Gwen runs to try and fix the damage. :Chandra: Krogan ship, six o'clock. :Gwendolyn: It's an ambush. :Chandra: Another one, dead ahead. :Gwendolyn: Evasive maneuvers! :Aegina races away from the ship above her and swings to the left to avoid the ship in front. A third ship is waiting in her path and fires an onslaught as she swings right to avoid it. As Gwen runs to a console near the front of the Bridge, more consoles and panels explode. :Chandra: We're boxed in. :Gwendolyn: Return fire! :a massive explosion in the middle of the Bridge and the pilot, Alyssa, is thrown from her seat and crashes to the floor. Alarms sound as another member of the crew runs to the pilot's station and tries to activate the controls. :Chandra: We've lost weapons. :Gwendolyn: Switch to missiles. Fire all batteries! :runs to the pilot's console and pats the crewmember on the shoulder, pointing him towards Alyssa lying on the floor. :Gwendolyn: Help her. Go. :he moves away, she takes the pilot's seat. The Aegina fires her missiles towards the two ship in front of her. They return fire and managed to destroy most of the Aegina's missiles. Archaon runs into the room. :Chandra: Overload. It's the hyperdrive! :Gwendolyn: Reroute the power! :Chandra: No response. System's about to go critical. :gets up and hurries to a panel in the ceiling. :Archaon: What’s going on? :Gwendolyn: Archaon, get everyone out of here, go to the escape pods and land on the planet. Once you’re there contact the Salarians. :Archaon: What about you? :Gwendolyn: I'll be right behind you! :Archaon turns and runs towards the nearest escape pod, rounding up everyone he sees. Escape pods on the side of the ship fire one by one until Gwen is alone. She hurries back to the main consoles. Archaon: voiceover After the crew got off, she must have lost access to the escape pods. With her engines about to go critical, I guess she figured she didn't have anything to lose. :her engines trailing smoke behind her, the Aegina turns and soars into the middle of the trio of krogan ships surrounding her. As sparks around the bridge continue to fly passed her, Gwen stands up and stares defiantly through the windshield as the Aegina races straight towards the ship in front of her and plunges into the side. It explodes and the shockwave radiates out in all directions, impacting the other two ships and destroying them as well. Archaon: voiceover With her last breath, she took out three Krogan ships. Present flashback ends, Archaon smiles ruefully down at John. Archaon: And we buried another empty casket. creeps over John’s face and he looks down. Archaon’s rueful smile turns into sadness as well. Chapter Six is standing alone at the shield. The wind is still howling outside. There's a shimmer behind him and Archaon's hologram comes back online. John turns to face him. Marachuk: Where the hell have you been? Archaon: I was inputting our new solar flare requirements into the long-range sensors. ... And I found out what happened. dread, Archaon looks at Marachuk. Marachuk: Well, are you gonna tell me or are you gonna keep it a secret? Archaon: The sun in this system is dying. It's running out of fuel. Marachuk: Wouldn't that make it colder? Archaon: No. As it consumes the heavier elements, it begins to expand. It's basically turning into a red giant. Marachuk: OK, so mystery solved. Let's move on. Archaon: No, no. You don't get it. This is – this is a one-way ticket. This sun is going to get hotter and hotter. Eventually the shields are gonna burn off. Marachuk: All right. How long before that happens? Archaon: It is impossible to say, but my best estimate is under five hundred years. Marachuk: But you said I'd be in stasis for at least seven hundred. Archaon: Right. So the moment you step out of the stasis chamber, you'll die. Marachuk: Archaon, you've gotta think of something! Archaon: I am trying. It's like I said ... Marachuk: ... you didn't anticipate the variable. I get it. paces, thinking. Marachuk: All right: can the Mark Twelve power the shields? Archaon: Theoretically, but there'd never be enough power left over to maintain my systems, the long-range sensors, the stasis chamber ... Marachuk: This ship has solar-powered generators, right? Archaon: sarcastically Yes, which would come in very handy if we were trying to power a couple of electric golf carts. Marachuk: See, you're still thinking like the old Archaon. Archaon: annoyed I can't really help that! Look, what are you saying? Marachuk: The sun's going red giant, right? Increased solar energy. The worse it gets, the more power we'll have. Archaon: Oh my God. That could work! We use the sun to power the shields. Marachuk: Exactly. starts prepping his spacesuit. Archaon: We wouldn't be able to do it indefinitely, but it would buy us a few hundred years or so. Marachuk: That's gonna have to do for now. I’m going through. puts on his spacehelmet. Archaon: What about the storm? Marachuk: It's been going on for seven hours and all I've gotta do is drift in a straight line. Archaon: That may not be as easy as you think! Marachuk: I never said I thought it would be easy. Look, I haven't eaten. I was hungry on my way back to the Aegina. The longer we wait, the weaker I get. Archaon: All right. Look, I can't go outside, but I can stay in contact with you over the radio. nods at Archaon and walks to the shield, standing a few inches from it. Holding his hands up in front of him to try to protect his eyes a little, John heads out into the storm. The moment he is out, he gets slammed against the broken wall. Using the broken parts sticking out, John is wall-crawling his way to the other side. Archaon calls after him. Archaon: It's like you said: keep going in a straight line. Your suit has a radio earpiece, so I’ll be in touch with you throughout. When you hit the other side, I'll be waiting for you there! blind, he staggers forwards. Archaon's hologram rematerializes in the other side that John's trying to reach. He turns and looks at the shield, seeing John about 10 yards further, wall-crawling. Archaon: John. John, can you hear me? Marachuk: radio Yeah, I hear you. Archaon: How're you doing? Marachuk: via radio Yeah, This is great! I feel like spiderman''!'' Hey, you haven’t talked to me about Scott yet. Archaon: Sergeant Greer? Marachuk: radio He made it to sergeant, eh? Good for him. Archaon: What? You want me to talk about him now? Marachuk: radio Yes, Archaon. Talk to me. Archaon: There’s nothing much to say. Flashback :escape pod from the Aegina detaches moments before it rams the Krogan ship. The pod passes the planet’s atmosphere. Archaon: voiceover As his pod descended onto the planet, it varried from its course, heading for the ocean. :pod splashes into the blue waters and sinks leaving behind a trail of bubbles. Archaon: voiceover He tried to open the door, but the pressure of the water jammed it. He drowned alongside 6 others. Present Archaon: a sad expression I’m sorry, I… I wish my stories had happier endings… doesn’t respond. Archaon: John? John? Are you still with me? still no reply. Archaon turns to the shield. Archaon: John? as he turns, Marachuk falls straight through Archaon's hologram, and crashes to the floor on his face. Archaon stares down at him, his face panic stricken. Archaon: Your biosignature's barely registering! John! doesn't move. Archaon stares in horror. Archaon: Oh God! Chapter Seven John regains consciousness and lifts his head. Squatting beside him, Archaon sighs in relief. Archaon: There you go. You can do it. with the effort, John rolls onto his back and pulls his spacehelmet off. He's face is red, burned by the sun. Marachuk: slurred Hurlo, Archaon. Archaon: Yeah, I'm still here. Look, I'd help you up but I'm – I'm, um ... John pulls himself up into a sitting position against the wall. Marachuk: How long was I out? Archaon: 12 hours! You don't look so good. Maybe we should get you to the stasis chamber as soon as possible. Marachuk: wearily Agreed. stumbles up and limps to the end of the room where they enter the stasis chamber. Archaon: I've already prepped the solar panels. You're good to go. leads John across to a stasis pod and holds out his hand. A panel beside the pod opens. Archaon points at something in the pod. Archaon: Here. Take this data stick. I've loaded everything that happened to us on this. It also holds my inventions from the last forty five years as well as the antidote to the Kirsan fever, so uh, yeah, don’t lose it. takes the data stick, then looks to Archaon. Marachuk: You know, you never told me what happened to you – I mean, in the past. Archaon: Oh, you don't wanna hear about that. Marachuk: Well, why not? Obviously you survived. Archaon: Only ‘cause I quit. Marachuk: Quit what? Archaon: The alliance, the military – the whole thing. Marachuk: That doesn't sound like you. Archaon: Yeah, well, we were under new management ... Flashback :ship’s Infirmary, medics are preparing packs and crates of medical supplies. Archaon: voiceover I was down in the Infirmary, having suffered a, uh, well, pretty serious injury. :is lying on a bed while Lorelei examines his finger. :Lorelei: It's a splinter. :Archaon: Doesn't mean it doesn't hurt. :Lorelei: All right. It's just kind of come at a bad time. It's a little busy in here right now. :Archaon: Yeah, I can see that. :familiar man's voice comes from a little distance away. :VOICE: Doctor Mobious? Doctor Thrax? :to see who it is, Archaon gets off the bed and he and Lorelei look at Admiral Hackett, who is dressed in a standard command uniform. :Archaon: Admiral Hackett. I understand you’ve managed to get us appointed your new head of staff. :Hackett: That's right. fidgets uncomfortably with the neck of his uniform. I only wish it were under better circumstances. :and Lorelei nod unhappily. :Hackett: May I ask what's going on here? :Lorelei: We're organizing some medical supplies for one of our offworld refugee camps. :Hackett: I see. Well, I'm going to have to ask you to stop. :Lorelei: confused I'm sorry? :Hackett: The Alliance is initiating a new policy: immediate recall of all base personnel. From now on, we'll be focusing entirely on defense. looks at Lorelei Furthermore, Doctor, your department is going to be scaled back. So far from home, re-supply is going to be difficult. We need to prioritize. :Lorelei: I don't understand this. I'm already under-staffed as it is. :Hackett: Only because you've over-extended yourself with all these humanitarian efforts and your continued attempts to find an antidote for the Kirsan fever. Once you have refocused your attention back to the medical needs of this ship and its personnel, I don't think you'll have a problem. :turns to leave. :Lorelei: Wait a second! People are dying out there! :turns back, looking at her sympathetically. :Hackett: I know, and – believe me – if I thought there was anything I'' could do about it, I would. :'Archaon': What about the warlord? :'Hackett': He knows the defensive capabilities of this ship and the Alliance. The brass thinks it's highly unlikely he will launch an unprovoked attack. :'Lorelei': So, that's it, then? We're supposed to just stand back and let him take over the rest of the galaxy? :'Hackett': How many more of our own people have to die, Doctor? Commander Marachuk, Commander Diomedes, Sergeant Greer – they were your friends. :'Archaon': Commander Marachuk is not dead. :'Hackett': Right. He's just been transported thousands of years into the future. I guess that makes him one of the lucky ones. :turns and walks away.'' :time later, in Lorelei’s quarters, She’s packing clothes into a small case. Archaon: voiceover The idea of standing by and doing nothing while the rest of the galaxy was suffering was too much for Lorelei to take. :over to a table on which there is another small crate with more of her belongings, Lorelei picks up a framed photograph of the original Prometheus team. Looking at it fondly, she sighs and puts it back into the crate. Archaon: voiceover The more I thought about it, the more I realized… she was right. :doors to Lorelei’s quarters open and Archaon walks in. She turns to him. :Lorelei: If you've come here to try and convince me to stay, Archaon, you're wasting your time. I've already made up my mind. :Archaon: No. I've come here to tell you I'm leaving too. Archaon: voiceover We had three weeks on Admiral Hackett’s ship with nothing else to think about but everything that had happened. :the ship's mess hall, Archaon and Lorelei sit at a table talking. Archaon: voiceover We went over it a thousand times, trying to imagine what we might have done differently. It was awful. :they continue talking, Lorelei smiles at him sympathetically, then takes his hand. Archaon: voiceover At least we had each other. By the time we got back to Earth – well ... :ship has reached Earth. Standing at a large window looking down at the planet below, Archaon and Lorelei turn to each other. She runs her hand down his arm, then they lean closer and kiss. Archaon: laughing in a slightly embarrassed way ... we weren't just colleagues any more. Present frowns as he takes his vest off. Marachuk: Wait a minute. You and Mobious? Archaon: Why do you find that so surprising? Marachuk: I'm just saying, if we start monkeying around with this time line here, there's no guarantee it's gonna turn out the same for you two. Archaon: Yeah… that's what I'm counting on... Chapter Eight looks confused at Archaon. Marachuk: Why's that? You survived; you got the girl. It doesn’t sound so bad. Archaon: No. smiles. No, at first it was great. Flashback :in arm, Archaon and Lorelei are walking along a leafy road on Earth, smiling and chatting. Archaon: voiceover I got a high paying job with a private aerospace engineering firm in Canada. Lorelei started her own practice at a free clinic. Things were just starting to come together. :starts to cough. Covering her mouth with her fist, she coughs several times, doubling up with the effort. Archaon puts his hand on her back, concerned. When she gets the cough under control, she looks at her hand. It has blood on it. Archaon: voiceover We should've known we wouldn't get off so easy. :Archaon stands in a hospital room while a doctor shows him X-rays of Lorelei's chest. :Doctor: I'm sorry to say, but all her internal organs are failing. Archaon: voiceover Of course, it was only a matter of time... :Doctor: ... it’s Kirsan fever. These scans show how severe…- :doctor continues talking, but Archaon is barely listening, lost in grief. Archaon: voiceover Complications due to repeated exposure to the Kirsan fever. :Doctor: I'm sorry, but there is nothing we can do... Archaon: voiceover No cure. :Archaon turns around and looks at Lorelei lying in a bed in the infirmary. She has an oxygen mask over her face. :Archaon stands in a corridor of the hospital biting his nails, lost in thought. Archaon: voiceover I thought I was gonna lose my mind. I – I didn't know what to do. After everything we'd been through, to have this happen, it was – it was too much. :Archaon's eyes widen. Archaon: voiceover And that's when I had my idea. :turns and hurries away. Later, he returns to the Infirmary. Lorelei, no longer wearing an oxygen mask, smiles at him. :Lorelei: Hi, hun. :Archaon: smiling Hey. :Lorelei: Where have you been? :Archaon: her a notebook I've been working. :Lorelei: confused Working? On what? :Archaon: The solution – to everything. You, this, all of this – I mean, commander Marachuk, The Aegina, you, everything. :Lorelei: What are you talking about? :Archaon: I'm gonna change the time line. I'm gonna make it so none of this ever happened. I mean, you won't get sick, no one will die, that warlord won’t come to power, none of it. :sighs. :Lorelei: disappointed Oh, Archaon. :Archaon: OK, I've already worked out the basic plan. I mean, the details will be a bit more complicated. I'll probably have to create a whole new form of math just to do the calculations, but I know I can do it. :Lorelei: What's done is done. :stares at her, his smile fading. :Lorelei: You can't change the past. :Archaon: You can. I'' can – and I'm ''going to, even if it takes the rest of my life. :reaches out and takes his hand. :Lorelei: You think that's what I want? :Archaon: Well, why not? :Lorelei: tearfully The years I've spent in Omega, the Alliance, you… The happiest moments of my life were with you… I – I saw more things most people don’t even dream about in their lifetime. I don't have any regrets. :Archaon: Yeah, but I'' do – a whole ''boatload of ‘em. I wanna do something about it. :Lorelei: firmly No. Just promise me that you're not gonna waste the rest of your life chasing after something that's already gone. Archaon: voiceover But I couldn't let it go. :holds her hand and looks at her in grief. Archaon: voiceover She died three days later. :time later, Archaon is writing on a whiteboard in a small cluttered apartment. Archaon: voiceover I quit the research firm; took a job teaching physics at a local community college. Not much money, but it gave me the free time I needed. :walks from the whiteboard to a desk, sits down and continues writing on a notepad. :passes. Archaon is again working on the whiteboard. Archaon: voiceover I'll admit it wasn't much of a life. :Archaon is busy writing on a walk board, his sister, Cindy, is sitting and watching him. Archaon: voiceover Cindy came by every once in a while to check up on me. :he writes some calculations on the board, Cindy stands up, takes the pen off him and wipes off the last part of the calculation. Archaon: voiceover When she realized she wasn't gonna be able to convince me to stop, she decided to pitch in and help me with the calculations. :writes her own figures at the end of her brother's calculation. :Archaon: Well, obviously. I did that yesterday. :Cindy: Just ... Oh, you did not! :Archaon: Look, look, this is what I'm thinking. This is what I'm thinking. :continue arguing and Archaon wipes her calculation off the board with his fingers. Cindy sighs in exasperation. Archaon: voiceover But eventually even she got fed up. But I never wavered. :pass. An elderly Archaon is still in the same apartment, but technology has moved on. There are no whiteboards around the room covered in calculations anymore, instead they have been replaced with a clear computer screen on a stand. Archaon is wearing a black glove on his right hand. He gestures at the screens and the calculations on it whisk off from screen to screen and new figures appear. Archaon: voiceover Years went by – forty five years, to be exact. :flicks his fingers and some of the figures on the screen change. Archaon: voiceover Then suddenly… It hit me. :stares at the screen in amazement. Archaon: voiceover Only one problem. I needed to get back to that mass relay. :Alliance Command, a soldier escorts Archaon across the Briefing Room to the open door of the Admiral’s office. Archaon coughs to attract the Admiral’s attention. Archaon: voiceover I didn't have a lot of friends at the Alliance. :the office, the Admiral turns and smiles as she sees Archaon. Archaon: voiceover But I only needed one. :Alyssa: Doctor Thrax. Good to see you. :stands up from her desk, walks over and shakes Archaon's hand. :Archaon: smiles Alyssa Spaulding. My god, feels like yesterday that you were still our pilot. :Alyssa: Come on in. Have a seat. :sit down either side of the desk. :Alyssa: So, uhm. I read your proposal. :Archaon: You didn't tell anyone else, did you? :Alyssa: smiles I'm not that stupid, Doc. :sighs in relief. :Alyssa: expression changes But I'm sorry. There's just no way I'd ever be able to get this authorized. :Archaon: Well, then, don't. You don't have to tell them what it is. Tell them it's a research project. Tell them whatever the hell you want. :Alyssa: Doctor Thrax, you're talking about altering the time line here. Changing history; changing everything. Do you really think that either of us has the right to make that call? :Archaon: Just cut to the chase. You know what happened to us; you know what's happening here. Do you really think this is the way it's supposed to be? :thinks about it. Archaon: voiceover Maybe she felt sorry for me. Maybe she figured it wasn't gonna work anyway, but she let me through. Present Archaon: And… The rest is history. Marachuk: Yeah. I guess I've had a tough day, but you've had a tough... forty five years. smiles briefly. Archaon: Yeah… OK. We're ready. stasis pod hisses as the hologram Archaon "thinks" it into life and John steps inside and turns to face the front. Archaon: Now, if this works, I'll be waiting right here when you come out. I may not have much time to get you to the mass relay, but I think we can manage it. Marachuk: And if it doesn't work? Archaon: Well, you won't feel a thing, but basically you just ... won't wake up. Marachuk: Right''!'' grimaces. Archaon looks awkward. John looks at him. Marachuk: In the past forty five years, you wouldn’t happen to notice who won the Superbowl, would ya? Archaon: Oh. Uh, ‘fraid not. Marachuk: Oh. Armax Cup? World Series? Archaon: I was never really much of a sports fan myself. Marachuk: Right. Had to ask. Y’know, gambling and all that. nods awkwardly, then raises his hand to him. Archaon: Good luck, John. nods. The stasis field begins to activate and slowly envelops him. Archaon, looking very tired and alone, turns away from the pod and his hologram flickers away. Moments later the light in the stasis room shuts down. Chapter Nine present Aegina. Navigator Merrick scrambles for his console as he sees the mass relay’s ring orbiting faster. Merrick: Unscheduled activation! hurries to the control panel. Amir: What've you got? shuttle flies past the mass relay, leaving behind a blurry trail. Archaon walks over to Merrick. Merrick: Receiving an I.F.F. looks up in surprise. Merrick: It's Commander Marachuk, sir... Amir: Lower the bay doors! and Archaon run for the stairs and trot down them as the shield lowers. Amir calls out into his headset as he goes. Amir: I need a team at the cargo bay, now! and a squad of soldiers hurry into the Cargo bay where Marachuk’s shuttle has landed. They aim their rifles at the landed shuttle, the most noticeable weapon is the new M13-Raptor Gwen is sporting. After several seconds the shuttle door opens and a sweaty John Marachuk scuttles out, then skids to a halt and holds his hands out as he sees all the weapons pointed at him. Marachuk: Whoa! Whoa! Amir: confused sir?! Marachuk: Amir! lowers their weapon as John looks around the cargo bay. Marachuk: euphorically oh my god! It worked! It worked!! Archaon, you're a… brain-melting… off-beat… genius! Archaon: uncertainly …ok? Amir: Commander, what happened? Marachuk: How much time has gone by? Amir: You've been missing for almost three days, sir. Marachuk: himself Three days, three days. OK. Amir: Commander, what are you talking about? Marachuk: I know what’s going to happen... Chapter Ten is pacing angrily around the infirmatory. Lorelei is with him holding a computer tablet and pen. Marachuk: We don't have time for this. Lorelei: I’m sorry, Commander, there are procedures we have to follow. You know that. Marachuk: I am not a clone. If that’s what you're worried about? Lorelei: No, your medical came back clean, telomeres and all, but there are other things we need to discuss. I mean, you have to admit: this is a pretty wild story. Marachuk: But that's my whole point! How could I make this up? Archaon: comms from the Control Room Doctor Mobious? Lorelei: Yes, go ahead. Archaon: comms Believe it or not, this data stick is accurate. I just checked the sensor logs. It's a solar flare capable of interfering with the wormhole from relay M4S-587 at exactly the moment he left. Lorelei: Well, how did that happen? the other end, Archaon looks uncomfortable. Archaon: embarrassed Umm, well, we've had a number of glitches since we, uh, last updated the shuttle’s operating system. in the infirmary, John looks up and yells. Marachuk: Angrily So that’s what you call a "glitch," huh?! Archaon: comms Yes, well, you should know that, uh, I'll be giving engineer Iggins a stern talking to. turns to Lorelei. Marachuk: Can I go now? Epilogue quarters. John is slumped down on his desk, after the day he had, no one can blame him. He wakes up by something that resembles the sound of a doorbell. He stands up and open his door. Archaon is standing in front of it. Marachuk: What is it Archaon, I’m tired. Archaon: Look, um, I… I just went over the data stick holding all our logs –The things we’re going to avoid now and what not – but there's just one more thing I need to know. Marachuk: What? looks around and then leans closer to Marachuk. Archaon: whispering Did I still have all my hair? looks uninterested at Archaon. An expression on his face tells us that he’s going to let Archaon have it. Marachuk: No. closes the door as Archaon looks anguished at him. Marachuk turns and walks over to his bed with a smug look on his face. Finally getting some rest. Behind the scenes "This Novel commemorates my 1 year anniversary writing Mass Effect fan fiction. A year ago I introduced the community to Multiverse; a story spanning multiple alternate universes. In Last Man Standing we explore an alternate timeline." "-And just like Multiverse, this novel is big but very, very different." Category:Articles by Cookiegobbler Category:Short Stories